Porschefan

Another nice-looking bike in my size from the same seller (as the Vitus aluminum). From what I've Googled, this bike was originally very high-priced. Thoughts/comments on value?

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FastJake

If it's your size go for it! I've been searching for a titanium frame for years and I can never find decent ones for less than that, on ebay. I'm talking about frames only! No parts, no fork, etc. Stuff like this almost never comes up for local sale around here so I never see it on craigslist.

CliffordK

I agree it looks like a reasonable deal if it fits. It is a pretty tall frame, but at 5'10", I ride about anything from 60cm and smaller.

Find out what happened to the original fork as that may tell you a bit about the bike. I wouldn't worry too much about the replacement though, but the "original" owner can tell you if it has suffered wreck damage.

I did snag a Litespeed 26" MTB forkless frame off of Craigslist. Built it up as a 700c bike, and I've been really enjoying it. It makes a great "winter bike"

Anyway, I doubt it will last on Craigslist for long.

wrk101

Price is basically what the frame is worth, so you are getting everything else for free. Go get it.

At the current asking price, you are getting a top of the line titanium bike for about what a bottom of the line, new, LBS, aluminum frame, made in China bike goes for. I think the value is compelling.

jetboy 

yes, as above- great deal. if you have the money go buy it.

howsteepisit

Well worth your money. Hell, since its your money offer and extra 100!

exxongraftek

Many Litespeed frames were sold without forks, as the company never (to my knowledge) went beyond the prototype stage with titanium road forks.

I've seen a couple of their Ti off-road forks and they were very utilitarian-looking.

CliffordK

It lists "Upgrades include Kestrel carbon fork"

That indicates to me that something existed before the CF fork.

Many Litespeeds come with Litespeed branded forks.
I know Colnago put steel forks on their Titanium frames, or perhaps CF on some of them. I assume most new Titanium frames are going with CF forks.

That does look a little like a 1" stem which would date the bike a bit.

Warren128

Great price! I say go for it! I'm always on the lookout for a 1990s polished LS Ultimate to go with my 1996 polished LS Classic

exxongraftek

I really liked the ride on my Litespeed but traded the frameset for a Colnago Master.

Not sorry I traded but I do miss the ride quality since the Master quickly became a "wall bike" and the Litespeed was a everyday rider.

$800 is a great price. Wish I was in ABQ and had the cash. Really great bike.

Porschefan

What are the differences between the two?


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exxongraftek

The ride quality on the best bikes I've ridden is summed up in a quote I once read somewhere, that the bike "disappears beneath you."

I guess that is best explained by a lack of the sensation that you are manipulating a machine & that it almost becomes an extension of your body.

You are not "fighting" the bike to get it to do what you want, it responds to your slightest acceleration or lean in an almost intuitive way.

Both these bikes did that but the Litespeed was even better at it since steel frames (in general) transmit a bit more "road buzz" to you than titanium.

My big thing was not wanting to mess up the paint on the Colnago, the Litespeed did not have paint to mess up so it made a great everyday rider.

miamijim

I've had 2 Litespeed's, both were awesome bikes.

Porschefan

I went to see this bike and another the seller had for a sale--a mid-'80's Vitus aluminum. Both bikes are in outstanding condition. Neither of them fit me particularly well, but I bought the Vitus as an experiment in flipping. The Litespeed may still be available. It seems to fit me reasonably well, although I'd have to replace the stem for sure and get a more upright position. I would have bought it also, just as an experiment, but I'm afraid that if it didn't work out I might have trouble selling it. Sounds like it wouldn't be a problem getting my $800 back. It did have one flaw that he said he would have repaired--one of the bottle cage bosses--the lower one on the seat tube--was loose and he couldn't get it out. I don't know what the fix would be, but he said he'd take it to his bike shop and get it repaired.

If you guys keep talking me into it, I may pick it up. That would make 5 bikes in the garage for a newbie rider/addict! Some of them HAVE to go now.

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CliffordK

My Litespeed uses aluminum rivnuts, of which I managed to break one, and one is loose. Apparently they are easy enough to fix, and I wouldn't worry about them too much. Perhaps the one issue is that my broken rivnut rattles a bit, I probably need to take the headset apart to get it out. The seat tube rivnuts would be easier to remove.

The advantage of rivnuts over welded nuts is that they can always be replaced if the threads get damaged.

dailycommute

Ride them regularly and if you sell near what you paid after enjoying, it all works out. Otherwise unless you are willing to deal with ebay, I would not buy them to flip or as investments. Having said that, I would have bought the lightspeed and ridden awhile, then liquidate it or other bikes as needed. If that LS fits it looks very nice, perhaps the seller would work with you since you picked up both and cut a deal--then sell the vitus on ebay to recoup some cash, keep the titanium.

CliffordK

I agree.
I think there is a place for value-added "flippers". Those that get good deals on bikes with major mechanical defects. Repairs them to be 100% functional (or better than new), and sells them on. But that is a tough market on used bikes, and perhaps hard to make money if one values one's own time.

You might be able to turn and flip the Vitus for $400, or it could sit on Craigslist for eons. The market is fickle, and buyers don't like to see a bike relisted for above the original asking price.

The place where it is probably worth the most is to strip it and sell the components on E-Bay, but I cringe at the thought of doing that to a nice classic. I suppose the advantage is that those wishing to modernize get access to classic frames, and those wishing to go retro get access to classic parts, and those wishing to go cheap get access to used parts. Still, it seems like a waste.

Porschefan

Good points. I wouldn't expect to flip them in this market--see my long post about this in the Vitus thread. But I'm willing to try eBay and see if that's something that would be worthwhile to "play" with bikes--which is really what I'm talking about. I'm talking with a friend here who is a very experienced bike mechanic about finding orphans that need rehab. Again, just messin' around at this point. But the Litespeed is a sweet-looking bike, that's for sure. If I end up with it as well as the Vitus I'll post some pix.

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